The present invention relates to sound deadening enclosures or chambers, particularly to enclosures adapted to enclose machinery and the like to reduce the noise level emanating therefrom.
It is well-known, of course, that high noise levels adversely affect the general well-being and health of persons exposed thereto. Not only is hearing impaired by prolonged exposure to excessively high noise levels, but fatigue and tension are increased thereby. In manufacturing plants, offices, and in work places of every description, attempts are often made to reduce noise levels to provide a healthier and more pleasant working of other environment as well as to meet increasingly rigid legal limits on noise level and to improve productivity in work environments.
In general, the use of sound deadening enclosures or acoustic covers is well-known as shown, for example, by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,222,233 and 3,478,958.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,534,828 shows acoustic panels used to clad an internal combustion engine. U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,735 shows a cabinet-like enclosure for office equipment.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,881,569 shows a small room-like enclosure adapted to enclose machinery for sound proofing or sound deadening. Particularly with this type of enclosure, problems are associated with the prior art structures. For one thing, such enclosures are usually employed on custom-designed production facilities or are added to already existing facilities. It is therefore necessary to custom-design and build the sound deadening enclosure with the attendant increased cost of such custom work.
Another problem associated with such sound deadening structures is that it is occasionally necessary to dismantle the structure to permit access to the machine which is encloses. Even if the enclosure is designed for such disassembly, the integrity of acoustical seals between sections of the enclosure is often lost or compromised by the disassembly and reassembly. Even though acoustically sealable access doors may be provided, occasionally dismantling of the enclosure is necessary for replacement or major overhaul of the machinery enclosed.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel sound deadening enclosure which may be built to custom specifications from standard panel components.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a sound deadening enclosure assembled from a plurality of individual sound deadening panels which panels may be repeatedly assembled and disassembled without compromising the quality of the acoustical seal between adjacent panels.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a sound deadening enclosure assembled from a plurality of sound deadening panels which enclosure has an external structural framework which is completely shielded from the sound emanating from sources within the enclosure by sound deadening material sheets affixed to the framework.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a sound deadening panel adapted to be assembled with a plurality of similar or identical panels into a sound deadening enclosure, the panels comprising frame members forming a structural framework including mounting flanges and support flanges with the sound deadening sheet material affixed to the mounting flanges and individual panels disengageably connectable to each other.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description thereof.